Begonia plant named &#39;AURORA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Begonia  plant characterized by broad leaves colored silver with a dark star-shape at the leaf base that is surrounded by a purple blush, maroon leaf backs, a bushy habit, tolerant of cool temperatures to 33° F., and excellent vigor.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Begonia rex-cultorum

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Aurora’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia, of the family Begoniaceae, and given the cultivar name ‘Aurora’. The new cultivar originated from a cross between Begonia ‘Shaun Henthorne’, an unpatented Rex type as the seed parent and an unnamed, unpatented Angelwing type, as the pollen parent. This selection is uniquely characterized by:

1. iridescent blue silver angelwing-shaped leaves that display rose purple in the leaf center and as a border on the margin,

2. maroon and green leaf backs,

3. a bushy habit,

4. tolerant of cool temperatures to 33° F., and

5. excellent vigor.

Compared to Begonia ‘Shaun Henthorne’, an unpatented plant and the seed parent, the new cultivar has leaves that ovate with oblique and cordate base rather than broadly ovate with an oblique swirling base. In addition the foliage color of the new cultivar is much more muted and silver and the plant survives better in the cold.

Compared to the unnamed Begonia Angelwing pollen parent, the new cultivar has leaves that are colored silver with rose purple markings rather than green with a few silver spots. The Angelwing was an upright, cane-type while the new cultivar has a bushy habit with fibrous roots.

Compared to Begonia ‘Roseburg’, an unpatented plant, the new cultivar has smaller leaves, more overlapping leaf bases, more silver leaf color, and a more basal crown habit.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by micropropagation as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the foliage and habit of Begonia ‘Aurora’ in August in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Begonia cultivar based on observations of ten-month-old specimens grown in one gallon containers in a cool greenhouse in early March in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95° F. in August to 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial, fibrous Begonia.         -   Form.—clumping, caulescent.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 10a.         -   Size.—grows to 28 cm tall and 50 cm wide.         -   Vigor.—excellent. -   Stem:     -   -   Type.—upright.         -   Size.—grows to 7 cm long and 18 mm wide.         -   Internodes.—from 3 mm to 2.5 cm long.         -   Surface.—glabrous.         -   Color.—Greyed Purple 187A on young stems to Brown N200A on             older stems. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—simple.         -   Arrangement.—alternate, congested.         -   Shape.—ovate.         -   Margins.—slightly undulate, coarsely serrate.         -   Apex.—acuminate.         -   Base.—oblique, overlapping.         -   Venation.—palmate, color topside between Greyed Green 197A             and Yellow Green 152A, bottom side Greyed Purple 187A.         -   Blade size.—grows to 10 cm wide and 17.5 cm long.         -   Surface texture.—sparsely pubescent on top and bottom.         -   Stipules.—deciduous, ovate-lanceolate, 17 mm long and 10 mm             wide, apex acuminate and cuspidate, entire, both sides             glabrous and Greyed Red 181A.         -   Petiole description.—grows to 25 cm long and 6 mm wide,             succulent, glabrous, between Greyed Green 197A and Yellow             Green 152A.         -   Leaf color.—top side closest to Greyed Green 189B where             silver, tinted Purple N79B in the leaf center and on the             outside 1 cm of the leaf; bottom side Greyed Purple 187A             along the veins and leaf margin, Green 138B Interveinally. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—axillary, bisexual, cymose.         -   Number of flowers per cyme.—3 to 4.         -   Peduncle description.—grows about 5 cm long and 2.5 mm wide,             succulent, glabrous, between Greyed Green 197A and Yellow             Green 152A; with 2 opposite, dehiscent petiolate leaf-bracts             below each cyme, which grow to 7 mm wide and 14 mm long,             margins entire, tip apiculate, both sides glabrous and             Greyed Red 181 D.         -   Pedicel description.—grow to 15 mm long, 1 mm wide,             glabrous, Yellow Green 146D.         -   Bloom period.—early spring in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—staminate flowers 12 mm long and 10 mm wide prior to             opening; pistillate flowers are 15 mm deep and 15 mm wide             prior to opening.         -   Description.—ovoid, sparsely pubescent.         -   Color.—Greyed Red 151 C on tepal area, ovary Greyed Red 151             C darkening to Greyed Purple 183C. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—monoecious, bilaterally symmetrical.         -   Pistillate flower.—none seen.         -   Staminate flower.—7 mm deep and 22 mm wide, 4 tepals, 2             larger outer tepals 15 mm long and 15 mm wide, cupped,             broadly elliptical, margin entire, tip obtuse, base             truncate, inside Red Purple 63D in center to 65D on sides             and outside 58D in center and 65D on sides; inner tepals             grow to 12 mm long and 8 mm wide, oblong, entire, tip             obtuse, base attenuate, both sides Red Purple 65D with a             band of pink in center, 63D outside and 65D inside; stamen             many in a globular head 8 mm in diameter, filament 2 mm             long, anthers 1.5 mm long and Yellow 7A, no pollen, male             sterile.         -   Fragrance.—none.         -   Lastingness.—A cyme blooms for about 4 weeks on the plant. -   Fruit and seed: none, sterile -   Diseases and pests: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No     known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found     in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of Begonia plant as hereby illustrated and described. 